Day one: the historic centre and Reforma
Start early at the Zócalo, the vast square where the Palacio Nacional and the Metropolitan Cathedral face each other. Weekday mornings are calmest; by 11am school groups arrive. Walk west along Avenida Madero to the Palacio de Bellas Artes, a marble landmark worth twenty minutes outside and more if there is a performance. Lunch in the Centro Histórico around Calle Regina or Plaza Santo Domingo, where set menus at fondas are the cheapest reliable meal of the day. Skip the rooftop restaurants on Madero; you pay for the view and queue for it.
In the afternoon take the Metrobús Line 4 or a short taxi to the Angel of Independence on Paseo de la Reforma. The tree-lined avenue is best walked on a Sunday, when the road closes to cars and cyclists take over. The Museo Nacional de Antropología in Chapultepec closes at 5pm and needs three hours to itself, so either give it a full afternoon or save it. Book a hotel near Reforma or Roma Norte for this first night: the metro connections north, south and west all converge here, and you avoid the Centro's evening quiet.
Day two: Coyoacán, San Ángel or the canals
Take metro Line 3 to Coyoacán and arrive by 9:30am. The Museo Frida Kahlo on Calle Londres sells timed tickets and sells out days ahead, so book online before you fly. The neighbourhood itself, with its cobbled Plaza Hidalgo and the market on Avenida México, rewards a slow two hours regardless. From there a taxi to San Ángel, fifteen minutes south, brings you to the Saturday art market at Plaza San Jacinto, the strongest craft market in the city and far less crowded than the tourist strips.
If you would rather be on water, head instead to Xochimilco, an hour south by taxi or metro to Tasqueña then the Tren Ligero. Embarcadero boats are hired per hour rather than per person, so groups of six or more get the best value; solo travellers should join a shared lancha. Sunday is busiest and loudest. Weekday afternoons are quieter and cheaper. Skip the combined Xochimilco-and-Coyoacán tours sold in the Centro: they spend more time in traffic than at either site.
Where to stay and how to move
Roma Norte and Condesa suit first visits: leafy streets, dozens of independent restaurants, and metro stations Insurgentes and Chilpancingo on Line 1. Polanco is quieter and closer to Chapultepec's museums but costs more and depends on taxis after dark. Near the airport, the area around Avenida Boulevard Puerto Aéreo has functional business hotels for early flights; it is not a place to spend an evening. In Tijuana, where demand from this site is also strong, the equivalent short-break base is Zona Río rather than the downtown strip across from the border crossing.
The metro costs a few pesos per ride and runs roughly 5am to midnight; buy a rechargeable card at any station. Avoid it at rush hour with luggage. Ride-hailing apps work well and are usually cheaper than street taxis for cross-neighbourhood trips, but pick-up points at major sites are chaotic at closing time. Best months are March to May and October to November: dry, warm and before the June rains. December and Easter week are crowded and hotel rates rise accordingly.
What to skip and what to book first
Skip the Turibus if you only have two days; the hop-on service moves slowly along Reforma and eats an afternoon. Skip Teotihuacán unless you can leave by 7am, because the site is an hour each way and the midday heat is punishing. The pyramids deserve a full day of their own, not a rushed morning before a flight. Similarly, do not attempt the floating gardens and the anthropology museum on the same day; both are half-day commitments with a long transfer between them.
Book in this order: Frida Kahlo tickets first, then your hotel, then any restaurant in Roma Norte worth its reputation, which fills up by Thursday for the weekend. Two nights is short for a city this size, but done as above it covers the Centro, one southern neighbourhood and one museum properly. If your dates are flexible, aim for a Tuesday arrival: you get weekday prices, thinner museum queues and a Sunday free for Reforma's ciclovía before you leave.